Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world and they have many points of contact. Both inherited from Judaism a belief in one God who created the world and cares about the behavior and beliefs of human beings.
The Prophet Muhammad knew Christians in his lifetime and respected them along with Jews as "People of the Book." Because of their monotheism and roots in the revealed Jewish Bible, the Prophet and his successors extended conquered Christians (and Jews) more freedoms than conquered pagans.
In the approximately 1,300 years of history since the life of the Prophet, the relationship between Christianity and Islam has rarely been harmonious. As it spread, the Muslim Empire quickly conquered much of the Judeo-Christian Holy Land and the Christian Byzantine Empire. The Christian Crusades of the 11th through 13th centuries, waged in large part against Muslims, served only to widen the divide between the two faiths. Constantinople, the "New Rome" and the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, fell to the Turks in 1453 and has lived under Islamic rule ever since.
In recent centuries, mutual distrust between Christians and Muslims has continued to grow. On the other hand, some have pointed out that the conflict has more to do with political tensions and divergent cultural worldviews than with religion, and efforts have been made by both Christians and Muslims to find common ground and engage in respectful dialogue.
To illustrate the similarities and differences between the two largest religions of the world, the following chart compares the origins, beliefs and practices of Christianity and Islam. Please note that numbers are estimates and beliefs and practices are oversimplified for brevitsake.
What are some similarities between Christianity and Islam?
A: Some of the many similarities are: There is only One True GodWe are not to worship any other godsMany Old Testament prophets were from GodJesus was from GodIt appeared to all that Jesus died on the crossGod gave the Torah, the prophets, and GospelWe are to obey God’s wordsWe should surrender/sacrifice ourselves to GodJesus will returnGod will resurrect all for judgment.Believers who die will go to heaven and live foreverDisbelievers will go to hell to be punished foreverIt is important to pray to GodWe should help the poor (at least the Muslim poor)Christians, Jews, and Muslims should not be killed for their faith. What are the key differences between Christianity and Islam?
Christian View
Muslim View
One God in Three persons: The Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
One God in One person. No worship, prayer, or praise of Jesus or the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit dwells inside every believer
No concept of the Holy Spirit
God gave and preserved His words in the Bible
Allah gave His words in the Bible, but was incapable/unable to preserve it from corruption.
The Bible is complete; there is no additional scripture from God.
Allah has given and preserved his eternal, uncreated Quran.
People are born sinful and separated from God
People are born good, but babies are touched by Satan.
A just God cannot just wink at some sin. All sin must be punished by an impartial God.
Forgiveness appears arbitrary (at least to this non-Muslim reader).
Jesus died as the sacrifice for our sins
People can get their sins forgiven by praying at the right time, cursing Jews and Christians with the angels, fighting for Islam.
Jesus died on the cross. If one does not believe Jesus died and rose for our sins, their faith is in vain (1 Cor 15:1-7)
Allah tricked everyone, everyone, even all His servants, that Jesus died on the cross. He secretly substituted another.
Jesus bodily rose from the dead and presented Himself as such (Luke 24:37-43, John20:20-27)
Jesus eventually died and will not rise until the general resurrection.
All must honor Jesus just as they honor the Father.
Jesus was no more than a prophet.
You must repent and believe in God to be saved.
You must not reject Islam. You must say that there is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.
Salvation is by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus. It is not of ourselves.
Allah grants forgiveness and paradise through various means to believers.
You must obey God’s words.
You should practice the Quran and the teachings of Mohammed.
You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.
You should practice the five pillars of Islam (belief in one God, prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, and alms.
You should love all, even your enemies.
You should kill pagans, apostates, and those of the house of war.
- What are some similarities between Christianity and Islam?
A: Some of the many similarities are:There is only One True GodWe are not to worship any other godsMany Old Testament prophets were from GodJesus was from GodIt appeared to all that Jesus died on the crossGod gave the Torah, the prophets, and GospelWe are to obey God’s wordsWe should surrender/sacrifice ourselves to GodJesus will returnGod will resurrect all for judgment.Believers who die will go to heaven and live foreverDisbelievers will go to hell to be punished foreverIt is important to pray to GodWe should help the poor (at least the Muslim poor)Christians, Jews, and Muslims should not be killed for their faith.
What are the key differences between Christianity and Islam?